Bridging the Gap
by Pedantic Sheep
Summary: A SatDai DarkKrad get together fic. Rife with sappiness and angst figures. Shonenai obviously. What more can I say.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own nothing, 'cept maybe your head, if you try to sue.

Warnings: Shonen-ai, pretty non-existent plot, relatively non-existent timeline, slight OOC, angst. First-time fic, if that counts as a warning.

* * *

Daisuke gulped. He knew exactly why he was there, so there was no point in saying something inane like 'What am I doing here'. Satoshi was his friend, whether the other boy acknowledged it or not. The wisdom of the decision was another matter entirely. He could remember all too well the results of his encounters with the other's alter-ego, Krad. The first time they had met, the homicidal blonde had greeted him, then promptly swatted With into the ocean and tried to strangle the red-haired Tamer. After _that_ he had wound up half-drowned, having been blasted beneath the water. It had only gone downhill from there, and by rights, he ought to be making a conscious effort to stay as far away from the Hikari heir as possible. Instead, he was on a beeline for the boy's house. Admittedly, he was doing it in part so that he could annoy the phantom thief that was currently screaming wildly in his mind. 

(Give it up, Dark; we're going and that's that.)

((You're nuts! Off your rocker! If you even had a rocker to begin with! Why in the name of all that is good and holy (and a few that aren't) are you even considering going near that crazy killer?))

Daisuke frowned slightly. (I've told you lots of times already; Satoshi is _not_ a crazy killer.)

He received a distinct image of himself being clobbered by a mallet. ((And _I've_ told you even more times that, being the host to Krad, they are in effect one and the same. Will you need to lose a couple of limbs before it begins to sink in? You're walking straight into the psychopath's lair!))

Daisuke smiled serenely. (I trust Satoshi.)

((Why, Kami-sama? Why, of all the possible families you could have picked for me to haunt, did you have to pick the one that produces the _densest possible hosts in the universe?_ You. Are. Going. To. Get. Yourself. KILLED!))

"I trust him." Daisuke repeated simply. Dark muttered something that sounded vaguely like 'Kami-sama grant me strength' before retreating deep into the Tamer's mind.

Soon enough, Daisuke Niwa found himself standing at a door that he had come to know very well, seeing as their teacher seemed to take some sort of sadistic delight in sending a stuttering, nervous Niwa to deliver Satoshi's homework whenever the young police commander was absent from school. He hesitated. Despite what he had told Dark, even he had to admit that walking willingly into the arms of someone who wanted to capture him was more than a little foolhardy.

((Thank you. There might be hope for you after all. And when did creepy boy turn from 'Hiwatari-kun' to 'Satoshi'?))

Daisuke flushed and ducked his head. (I can't hear you, Dark.)

((Really? Alright then—WHEN DID CREEP—))

(Dark! Shut up!)

Surprisingly enough, that was exactly what the kaitou did. And then he found out why. Looking up, he suddenly found himself lost in a pair of piercing blue eyes. Satoshi had chosen to leave his glasses off that day, and there was now nothing separating Daisuke from the full intensity of his gaze. Instantly, he turned as red as his hair. "Ah-ah Hiwatari-kun…"

"What are you doing here, Niwa? It's a Sunday, so there shouldn't be any work for you to deliver."

Daisuke flushed an even deeper shade of red, the only indication that he had noticed the other's cold tone of voice. "W-well… You were injured during the fight yesterday, so I thought I'd just… Drop in on you. You know, to make sure you were alright. And that you didn't need any help. And to keep you company. Um."

Satoshi's eyebrow slowly lifted as he stared at his visitor, who sheepishly ran slender fingers through his crimson hair as somewhere in the back of his mind, Dark snickered. Until that moment, Daisuke had not realised the complete irony of the situation, given the fact that it had been _he_ who had given Satoshi those injuries. Granted, it had really been Dark and Krad, but still…

"Ah… Since you're obviously fine, I guess I'd better get a move on then. Sorry for—"

"Please come in."

A year ago (1), Daisuke would have begun to stammer and look about shiftily, but this had occurred too many times already, and he now walked into the house with nothing more than a sigh and a mild feeling of trepidation. He stopped three steps away from the entrance to brace himself, and true to form, there came the sudden and sharp bang of the front door being slammed shut, followed shortly by the distinct click of the lock. Opening his eyes, he forced himself to relax, grateful that he had at least succeeded in keeping his feet rooted to the ground.

((I swear Dai, that boy has a positively evil sense of humour,)) Dark grumbled testily.

(… I agree.)

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Satoshi Hiwatari was not having a good day. Actually, saying this was something of an understatement. Satoshi Hiwatari was having a thoroughly _crappy_ day. First, there was the fact that he had just managed to collect numerous injuries, among which numbered a badly sprained ankle, _severe_ bruising over his ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a deep gash along his right arm that was certain to scar, and scar badly. At least Krad had had the grace to do something about the shoulder before transforming back into Satoshi, which had saved him the awkwardness of having to cook up a good story to tell the hospital staff about the source of his injuries. The rest of his wounds would heal with time, but until then, they were causing the boy a _damned_ lot of pain. 

Then there had been that morning, when he awakened to find that he was running a fever which made him absolutely miserable. He had been dizzy and nauseous, and felt like throwing up, even when there was nothing to throw up in the first place. The fever broke by late morning, but left enough after-effects that he was currently as weak as the proverbial kitten.

And as though that had not been enough, _Niwa_ had to come sauntering up to his front door, that annoyingly innocent look on his face as he told Satoshi that he had come to 'visit'. He used to enjoy such visits, and he still got a kick out of pulling pranks on the already-jittery thief, but now that Krad…

Growling slightly, Satoshi retrieved the drinks from the refridgerator and shut the door, leaning his head against the cool surface. He closed his eyes. '_Kami-sama help me, I have no idea whether to be touched or angry._' Or perhaps he would stick to being worried. _When_ was that Niwa going to 'get it' and learn to stay away from him? Did the boy actually _want_ to get hurt, or was he just dense? Why on earth had he invited him in? And _why_ was Dark not doing something about this?

Satoshi sighed wearily, pushed away from the fridge and headed out of the kitchen. There was still one thing good about all of this; Krad, having been equally drained from the battle of the night before, was still dozing quietly in the back of his mind, and did not seem inclined to be roused anytime soon. Nevertheless, Satoshi had taken the precaution of opening several large windows in the house. Dark would know what to do.

Reentering the sitting room, the slim boy blinked as he took in the sight of several bentou boxes spread out across the carpet, an embarrassed-looking Niwa sitting in the center. Satoshi noted with amusement that all of the boxes appeared to be decorated with a profusion of pink styrofoam hearts. '_That's right; it's Valentine's Day. Just as well I didn't go out then._' He had no wish to get assaulted by random herds of girls, especially since… No, he would not go there.

Surveying all the food though, he couldn't help but think that this was a little overboard, even for Emiko Niwa. He sat down across from Daisuke, handing the red-head his drink with a sardonic expression. "Let me guess… You conveniently forgot to mention to your mother exactly who you were planning to visit today."

The immediate flush on Daisuke's cheeks confirmed his guess. Smirking, Satoshi shook his head in amused exasperation, picked up his chopsticks and gestured towards the food, as though he were the person who had provided it instead of Daisuke.

"Please."

They ate in companionable silence, neither of them saying much. Satoshi had not really intended to eat, his fever of that morning having taken away what appetite he had usually. He knew, however, that it would be easier than sitting there and having Niwa stare at him. The young thief could be extremely stubborn when he chose; especially when it concerned the welfare of those he counted his friends. And the Hikari heir was one such, no matter how much Satoshi had tried to convince him of the contrary. Besides, Emiko's food _was_ good.

There eventually came a point when neither of them could eat any more, and they both began in wordless assent to pack up the now-empty containers. Stacking up the last of the boxes, Satoshi picked up his can of green tea and sipped at it, the fingers of his other hand picking restlessly at the bandage covering his wound. Finally, he let out a soft sound of frustration and lifted his eyes to meet those of Daisuke's. It was time for The Talk.

"This has to stop. And _don't_ tell me that you don't know what I'm talking about, because you do. I do not want to hurt you, Daisuke, and I know you don't want to hurt me. The point I'm trying to make here is that, the more you hang around me, the _more likely it is that we are going to end up injuring each other!_ This _has_ to stop."

Daisuke stiffened almost imperceptibly, so much so that had it been anyone else but Satoshi, they would not even have noticed. The police commander caught it though, and he gritted his teeth, right as a huge grin appeared on the other's face.

"It's alright, really. I know you'll be able to stop Krad."

The blue-haired teenager now ground his teeth in irritation, resisting the urge to groan out loud. "Daisuke, the amount of trust you have in me is touching. In fact, it is extremely touching. It is also extremely scary."

"But—"

"But nothing; I _can't_ stop Krad. I've _tried_, and I _can't._ Every time I fall asleep, I start to worry that Krad is suddenly going to take control and fly over and strangle you, and I—and…" He trailed off, unable to continue. When he saw Daisuke's determined yet wounded look, he felt like pounding his head on the wall.

"But what about the time—"

"That was a fluke," Satoshi interrupted roughly. "Had it been but a few seconds later, you would have died of strangulation, and _by my hands_. _Listen_ to Dark, I know he's telling you the exact same thing. Krad is strong, too strong, and I don't know if—"

Now it was Daisuke who interrupted, his deep red eyes flashing angrily. "And so you think closing yourself up, withdrawing back into yourself is the answer? You'll kill yourself that way, can't you see? I _said_ I trust you, and so far—"

"_Don't you understand?_ I'm afraid I'll lose you, yes you, Daisuke Niwa, afraid that I'll accidentally end up murdering the one person who's ever taken the trouble to-to _care_, and I don't want that, _I don't want to lose you!_" Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that he had lost it, that he was saying things he had never intended to say and that should not have been said, that it was beginning to wake _Krad; _but he couldn't stop himself, not now.

"You have no idea how much you mean to me, and I don't—I can't bear—I just—" Chest heaving, he stopped, eyes squeezed tightly shut as he tried to regain control of himself and his emotions, and failing miserably. He never heard Daisuke approach, never saw him lift his arms, but somehow, he found himself falling forward into a warm, accepting embrace, and before he could react, he felt a breath on his forehead, then the soft press of lips, and then a comforting voice "—alright, it's alright, it will be…"

And then he transformed.

* * *

Owari

* * *

**Author's Note:** Gah. I had never meant it to become angsty. In fact, this was supposed to be a fluffy and pointless story involving a progression of three kisses (No reason why three; I just like the number), but Satoshi angst bunnies ran away with me. This was also supposed to have been posted on Valentine's day, but I somehow managed to leave my notes in school. Apologies for the lack of flow and any other errors you might find; I have been having severe sleep deprivation of late.  
Not sure if I'll bother with a sequel as it's a bitch trying to muddle stuff out, but if I do, it will be posted within the week. 

I have never watched the anime, and am still at book 7 of the manga, and thus have no idea of exactly what is supposed to have happened a year from when it all started, or whether Dark and Krad are even still around, or if Dai is still in love with Riku. For the purposes of this fic however, I am ignoring it, they are, and Dai isn't. The reason why I said a year is because if I am going to write something which involves two characters exchanging kisses, I want them within at least a year of being LEGAL, even if I have no intention of getting past PG-13 level.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own nothin', 'cept maybe your head, if you try to sue.

Warnings: Shonen-ai, pretty non-existent plot, relatively non-existent timeline, slight OOC, angst. Second chapter of a first-time fic, if that counts as a warning.

"_Not sure if I'll bother with a sequel as it's a bitch trying to muddle stuff out, but if I do, it will be posted within the week."—_I lied. Sorry about that.

* * *

Dark blinked, stunned by the sheer intensity of the emotions that had overwhelmed both his and his counterpart's host. Truth be told, he had been rather stunned by the suddenness of it all, despite the fact that he had indeed known of the commander's attraction to his host. Krad would not have appeared otherwise.

But he had not expected things to have gone this deeply, and now felt like a complete idiot for not noticing sooner. What surprised him even more was that Satoshi had lost control of himself long enough to reveal it, as well as Daisuke's reaction to that fact. Granted, it had been a perfectly chaste kiss, and only on the forehead, but it had been _Daisuke_ who had initiated it, not to mention the fact that he had then turned promptly into Dark… The kaitou blinked again, unsure as to whether to be amused or worried.

He really did not have the time to be sitting around thinking about such things at the moment though. Yelping in alarm, the violet-haired thief jumped aside, narrowly avoiding the crackling ball of energy that flew past him, smashing into a wall. Continuing the motion, he used his momentum to roll to his feet, turning just in time to see another shot go by. He winced inwardly, thinking of the damage all this was causing. Throwing astral energies about at each other was all fine and dandy when out on a deserted rock of an island in the middle of the sea, but Hiwatari's house was going to be a _wreck_ if this carried on, not to mention what would happen if someone happened to pass by. While the district _was_ fairly empty at this time of day, and the blasts were fairly small, this was _not_ a battle that should have been waged in _broad daylight_. Narrowing his eyes, Dark started into his customary banter even as he began to move about, dodging the blasts of light. His voice was light as usual, with only the slightest bit of steel to hint at the deep-seated anger he felt. "Uncaring and selfish as always. Nice to see you're doing well, Kraddikins my love, but jeeze, we really need to work on your social skills."

Pausing, he flipped himself over yet another ball of lightning before returning a purple-black shot of his own. On the move once more, he picked up the thread of his one-sided conversation with ease. "I mean, I know you're absolutely delighted to see me again, and the lightning balls are very pretty, but really, most people just like to say 'hello'. Much easier, and almost guaranteed not to leave any permanent holes in the walls. C'mon Kradsie-poo, I know you can do it if you just try; it's not that hard. Say It with me: Hell-llooooo—"

The thief's rambling was cut off as Krad flew at him, maneuvering with a speed and agility that was truly remarkable given the cramped confines of the house as well as the injuries he had sustained the night before. Dark met him head on, and the two wound up crashing to the floor, tumbling over and over as each tried to get a strangle-hold on the other without getting either kicked, punched, blasted, or strangled himself. The struggle was short, and Dark soon succeeded in slamming his archenemy hard against the tiles, pinning the blonde's limbs with a force that was enough to completely cut off the blood circulation of a normal human.

(Dark…) Daisuke, who had been strangely quiet up till that moment, did the mental equivalent of a tug on the sleeve. In return, Dark did the equivalent of an impatient brush-off.

((I know, I know, don't kill him, right? I won't. But Daisuke, someday _something_ is going to have to give, and I have no intention of letting it be us.))

He turned his attention back to the matter at hand. "Well, hello… Beautiful view from up here… Ought to do this more often."

Krad snarled, straining to free himself, which simply made his situation worse, and afforded Dark no small measure of amusement. Lowering his head, he flashed his teeth in a predatory smile before speaking again, this time in smooth, silky tones that could only be called 'dangerous'. "That's quite enough, I think."

Large, feline eyes fixed on the kaitou, and the homicidal blonde smirked, his gritted teeth the only sign that he felt anything. For the first time that day, Krad replied. "Oh? You think? On the contrary, it is nowhere near enough… Not until you are dead and erased will it be _enough, Dark Mousy_."

Dark laughed, though it was completely mirthless. He tightened his hold further, and was pleased when he caught the almost inaudible hiss of pain. He shook his head in mock sorrow "Krad, Krad… Give it up already, why don't you. You're no match for me at the moment, and you'll probably end up killing your host if this goes on. Not that I'd be particularly saddened if _you_ disappeared from the face of the earth either, mind you, but life would be ever so _boring_ without Hiwatari soushirei-dono about. Security personnel these days just have no _imagination_…"

"Perhaps so, but if it means a chance to get rid of you…" Without warning, the muscles beneath him bunched as Krad gathered all his strength together in a last-ditch effort to free himself. "… It is worth it!"

The angelic demon managed to shift his hands only a bit, but it was enough. Unable to let go in time, Dark found himself being thrown back by a blast of energy that tore into his side, causing him to gasp in pain. Ignoring Daisuke's startled cry, he looked down, cursing as he saw the blood. It looked worse than it actually was, and was certainly not as bad as it could have been, but it still hurt like _hell_. It occurred to him then that he was going to have an absolute field day trying to explain _that_ wound to Emiko Niwa.

Nevertheless, there were more pressing matters at hand. His pupils wide with fury, he began to move, though perhaps with a touch less grace than before, and the fight began anew.

"My… Did I hurt you? I do apologise for that. Although I have been told that there is no more pain in death, so it will probably be alright." The blonde's taunting words were maliciously cold, and were meant to intimidate. Dark however, knew better. He had been battling his counterpart for more than three hundred years, and could read him like an open book with words that were printed in bold. He knew that even while he was beginning to tire, Krad was nearing the last of his strength. Laughing out loud, he replied mockingly, punctuating his words with a series of small energy bolts.

"Really? How long more to go, Krad? How much more can your host give? How far will you drain him? To the point of death? That would be fun to watch. I wouldn't even need to do anything then—You'd just keel over and die, and without any help from me." He dodged a flying fist, sending another dark violet bolt into the other's ribs.

Somehow managing to remain upright through the pain, Krad rose again on bloodstained feathers, returning the thief's taunt. "I think age is getting to you, my dear Dark Mousy. You appear to have become delusional. All the more reason why I ought to end it quickly."

Dark laughed again. "You'd do it too, wouldn't you? Kill him just in the hope that you could maybe, just possibly take me with you? And never mind the fact that he is your tamer, that his only reason for being caught up in this is because he happened to be born to the wrong family, as is the case with yet another person, that he's put up with you for a good year and supplied you with whatever energy you've needed and carelessly thrown away?"

A gleam came into the violet depths as their owner continued to bait the winged demon, his tone almost conversational. "You have no qualms about any of that, do you? Of course not. It's why I hate you so much, you know. Everything is all about you. What _you_ want, what _you_ need, what _you_ feel like doing… It doesn't matter who you hurt, who you kill, whether it be me, your own host, or some random innocent off the streets. You care nothing for life, and nothing for death, treating them as your tools, taking and using them at will for _your_ intents… You, you, you. It's always been that way, always. You're like a parasite, Krad. And parasites—"

This time, it was Dark who tackled his opponent, and they hit the floor hard, phantom thief pinning the hunter immediately. "—should be squashed"

Caught off guard, Krad flinched involuntarily, jerking his head to the side in anticipation of the final strike. For a moment, it seemed as though three centuries of never-ending conflict would finally be over, that there would now be a victor, and the Niwa and Hikari families would, for the first time in history, be free of the burden that had been laid on each of them so long ago that it seemed almost at the beginning of time. The rift would have been closed, a conclusion arrived at, and the whole, sad, ridiculously long drama would have been laid to rest. It might have been better had it played out that way. Life might actually have regained the modicum of normalcy that had been wrested from it. But it never happened.

Dark froze, staring at the winged demon beneath him and tightened his grip, as though forcing himself to do something that he did not want to do. A long moment passed, and another, in which the only sound in the entire house was that of their harsh panting, and perhaps the dripping of blood from their wounds. It was then a cool breeze blew through the open window, breaking the silence and cooling the sweat-soaked strands of violet hair. Slowly, ever so slowly, the close-to-maniacal gleam faded, and he sagged, turning his head fiercely aside.

(Dark…?) Daisuke's hesitant voice drifted through the mental fog, heavily tinged with worry and fear. Dark heard it, and he closed his eyes, projecting as much reassurance as he could.

((It's alright Dai,)) he said, unconsciously echoing the red head's words spoken mere moments before. ((Or at least, it is now.))

Evidently deciding to take him at his word, Daisuke gave a note of acknowledgement before fading into the background once more, leaving Dark alone. With Krad.

Time began to take on a strange quality. It was almost as though they were trapped in limbo, and nothing mattered anymore; not the fight, not the destruction all around, nor the wounds that covered him all over. Nothing mattered, except for one thing, and that was the golden-haired seraph laying helplessly on his back, all battered and bloody, the cruel light gone from his face, as was the fight. He was too drained to do anything but lie there with his eyes half-closed and breathe, completely vulnerable. At last, Dark let out a sigh and spoke in a soft, shaky voice. "Why do we fight?"

Eyelids flickered open, and the cat-like pupils turned weakly. "What… The hell do you think you are doing?"

"Why do we fight?" Dark persisted. "Have you ever truly thought about it?"

The other glared. "We have a duty to fulfill."

"Duty? Do you really think that? Three hundred years of constant, bitter feuding. Over what? It's not as though you care a great deal for the artworks, or the Hikari duty and pride, or even the Hikaris themselves. We both know that it's not just me, that anyone with sufficient magic running through their bloodlines would be able to seal the artworks; it's just that the Niwas took it upon themselves as a job, is all. Pardon the expression, but duty my arse."

A sad, bitter chuckle. "It's always baffled me how time and again, the heirs of both families would gravitate towards each other in friendship, or even love. No matter _what_ we did to discourage it, they still found a way to form that bond, even if it meant it would cause their deaths. We've gone through a couple of hosts that way, haven't we?"

He paused, experiencing the memories as they floated up. "Now I wonder if they had been the ones with more sense, if they hadn't simply looked to the heart of the matter and seen just how stupid everything is. And it is stupid. Generation after generation, every single waking moment spent centered around this pointless centuries-old battle. Don't you ever get… tired? You and I… We keep saying we want to live; we want to have a real life with our own personalities and bodies. You even try to claim your hosts in some semblance of love, while I strive for a love that will never come into fruition. All this so we can _live_. But just look at what we do with it the very moment we're granted anything remotely close to it. You'd think there'd be more to life than simply trying to blast someone else out of existence, but we seem to have _made_ it the only thing right now."

Dark took a deep, ragged breath. "So I ask again: Why do we fight?"

There was a slow shake of the head, as though hypnotized, and Krad whispered. "I do not know."

The thief tightened his jaw and looked away. "We're still going to end up killing each other, aren't we."

There was a long silence, in which Krad sighed, closing his eyes before opening them again. But this time, there was less confusion in the golden pupils. Neither was there any of his customary maliciousness. Instead, he seemed, for the first time that he could remember, at peace, and the strange note in his voice made the other look back in surprise. "I do not know that either, Dark. This… has gone on for too long, and I can no longer give a definitive answer to any of your questions. But… I do want my own existence. Perhaps, just perhaps, we will find our own way someday."

To his own surprise, Dark laughed, a genuine laugh, and the sorrow that had been lurking in him started to disappear. "Hope springs eternal, hm?" Carefully and gently, he lowered his head until their brows touched. Warm lips brushed lightly against a cool cheek, and he murmured, right before light of transformation surrounded them "Then… It is enough. For now."

* * *

_The figures lay, side by side with arms wrapped about each other. As the soft light died away, one stirred restlessly. Slowly, the other lifted a hand and brushed locks of hair from his brow. Dark red eyes met clear blue. Ignoring the pain from their wounds, as well as the tears that threatened to brim over, the two leaned towards each other, and for the first time, their lips met in an achingly tender kiss. It wasn't much. It didn't last long. But it was a beginning.

* * *

_

Owari

* * *

**Author's Note: **Aaaand MORE fluff gone bad. I give up . Don't think there'll be anymore after this though, so that's good. Still tired out of my head, which might be the reason for all that angst, since I'm in a rather self-pitying mood at the moment . Sorry for any weirdness, OOC-ness (and I KNOW it's there), the overdoing of Dark's dialogue,and any other errors you might find. Mucho gracias for the reviews on the previous chapter; you made my day, especially since I happen to stalk a couple of your fics.

Oh well, guess I'd better get back to work. Thanks again all.


End file.
